Western Shores (trip)

Western Shores

  • Shannon Airport, Shannon, Ireland
  • Culture & Nature
Ireland

from $3,195* per person7 DaysJune, July, September
Comfort accommodations Exertion level: 3
Operator: Easy Rider Tours 24 people max
Steeped in history and loaded with charm, County Clare and Connemara are the ideal setting for our easiest Ireland bike tour. You'll pedal a mix of country lanes and coastal roads, where rush hour traffic might consist of a local farmer and his herd of cows. Ferry to ancient Inishmore, largest of the Aran Islands. Our ride along the Sky Road may be your all-time favorite, with panoramic views of haystack-dotted fields, the peaks of the Twelve Bens, and the Connemara coast. We’ll celebrate our final night in five-star style at Ashford Castle, internationally acclaimed as one of the finest hotels in Europe.

    *  Scenic rural cycling through County Clare and Connemara
    * Visit the Cliffs of Moher, Poulnabrone Dolmen, and Dun Aengus ring fort
    * Two nights in Doolin, famous for its pubs and music seisiuns
    * Evening of storytelling with a well-known Irish shenachie
    * Guided hike through the Burren with a local naturalist
    * Overnight stay on Inishmore in the Aran Islands
    * Stay at Ashford Castle, one of Europe’s premier hotels
    * Shop for all things Irish, from bodhráns to hand-knit sweaters

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Ireland

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Itinerary

Day 1: Morning transfer from Shannon to the lively fishing village of Doolin, for a two-night stay with ocean views. Our warm-up ride visits the 700’ high Cliffs of Moher, with longer options to Poulnabrone Dolmen and the Kilfenora Cathedral. Welcome dinner, followed by pints and tunes at McGann’s or O’Connor’s, famed for their traditional music seisiuns. (11 or 26 mi.)

Day 2: A scenic coastal route leads to the fishing village of Ballyvaughan for lunch overlooking the harbor. Learn about the unique flora and geology of the Burren on an afternoon hike with a local naturalist. Return to Doolin by van or via a challenging route over Corkscrew Hill. This evening, folklorist Eddie Lenihan will regale us with tales of old Ireland. (22 or 42 mi.)

Day 3: Morning ferry to Inishmore, largest of the Aran Islands, for a free day to explore by bike or foot. Visit Dun Aengus ring fort, monastic “beehive” huts, and the ruins of The Seven Churches. We’ll be welcomed as old friends at Kilmurvey House, a gracious Georgian manor and twenty-year Easy Rider favorite. (7-18 mi.)

Day 4: Morning ferry to Rosaveel, County Galway. Views of heather-covered mountains and the Connemara coast as we cross the Cashel bog to Clifden. Two-night stay on the waterfront at stylish Quay House, originally built as the Harbour Master’s residence. (31 or 41 mi.)

Day 5: Free day for shopping, sightseeing, and biking the aptly-named “Sky Road,” with bird’s-eye views of Clifden and Killary Harbor against the backdrop of the Twelve Bens. Long option traces tiny coastal lanes to the picturesque harbor in Cleggan. (0, 12, 21, or 35 mi.)

Day 6: Spectacular vistas of Killary Fjord and the Maumturk Mountains highlight our final day of biking. After lunch, pedal along a lush glacial valley and the shores of Lough Nafooey to the village of Cong in County Mayo. Farewell celebration and five-star finale at Ashford Castle. (48 mi.)

Day 7: After breakfast, spend a leisurely morning roaming the castle grounds, from its formal gardens and forested trails to the shores of Lough Corrib. Noontime transfer to your choice of Galway City or Shannon.

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